Saturday Linkfest

Did you know that gold is up 4% for the year so far?  Sure, sure, gold had a good start in 2013 before it all fell apart. Still ... interesting.

Speaking of which, the TSX Composite, the index of leading Canadian stocks, is now at its highest level since May 2011.

 (Updated chart)

But what if we did the same chart on the TSX-Venture?

(Updated chart)

In other news ...

The oil companies are lobbying to get the ban on oil exports from the U.S. lifted (we only export refined product now). That won't help motorists at the gas pump.

Rithholtz says ignore the terrible payroll data, at least for this month.

Bill McBride says ignore the terrible payroll data, and he has lots of pretty charts.

You know who didn't ignore the data? Bond traders. And they're supposed to be the smartest guys int the room. Still, we'll see.

The Reformed Broker on why it's hard to buy the dip.

China will soon embark on a decade-long Green Cycle, says Credit Suisse. If true, who do you think the winners and losers from that will be?

Scalper bots make moving around in China more expensive.  Pretty much how you'd expect the machines to start their war of extermination against us.

The Wall Street Journal has posted a massive chartapalooza on the year that was 2013. We're talking charts on the Fed, stock index prices, corporate profits, earnings, even gasoline prices. And these two charts as well ...

Go see the rest HERE

See also 25 charts on the state of American jobs.

Here's my favorite video of the week.

I'm not sure if that's going to show up, so here's the link: http://screen.yahoo.com/the-daily-show/slumdogs-vs-millionaires-050000059.html
 
 Eight jobs that make you gain weight. Like anyone needs to tell you, eh, fatso?

The Washington Post asks if the Iraq War is eerily similar to Vietnam. Gee, if only the "journalists" at the WaPo asked tough questions BEFORE we went into the Devil's Sandbox, eh? But I guess it's tough to ask hard questions when you're elbowing each other out of the way to fellate Donald Rumsfeld.

Muslim separatists up their game in Thailand. Bastards.

25 Cool things you can buy for under $25. I read this and bought the "lifestraw". And I might buy the blowgun so the dog and I can take our war against the squirrels to the next level. Still, I better not tell my geeky friends about the "Loot Crate" subcription for $13.37 a month. Seriously, guys, your homes are crowded with too much junk anyway.

Politics right now can pretty much be divided between those who think Chris Christie's bridge scandal is just like President Obama's IRS scandal, and those who don't.

What's your opinion?

Have a great weekend.